Pitt County Businessman Guilty of Embezzlement

Date: 7/17/2006

RALEIGH – A Pitt County man pleaded guilty Monday in Wake County Superior
Court to felony tax charges filed by the North Carolina Department of Revenue.

James Earl Williams, Jr., 40, of 1856 Flemming School Road, Greenville, pleaded
guilty on July 17, 2006 to one count each of aiding and abetting Williams Express,
Inc. and J & L Transport Company, Inc. to embezzle North Carolina individual income tax withholdings.

Superior Court Judge A. Leon Stanback, Jr. sentenced Williams to two 10-month
minimum, 12-month maximum prison terms. The sentences were suspended and he
was placed on supervised probation for 48 months, including a period of intensive
probation during the first six months. Williams was also ordered to perform 50 hours
of community service and pay $37,291.60 in restitution to the Department.

The state’s evidence showed that from Jan. 1, 1998 through Dec. 31, 2005, Williams
Express, Inc failed to remit $34,549.93 in taxes that were withheld from the wages of
its employees. In addition, from Jan. 1, 2005 through Dec. 31, 2005, J & L Transport
Company, Inc. withheld $2,741.67 in taxes from its employees’ wages that was not
remitted to the Department of Revenue. Williams, as responsible corporate officer,
aided and abetted both corporations to misapply the funds, which were then used to
operate the businesses. Both corporations are located in Greenville.

The charges against Williams resulted from an investigation by a special agent in the Department’s Criminal Investigations Division in Raleigh.